The SVP of the canton of Schwyz wants to put forward cantonal councillor André Rüegsegger, in the cantonal government since 2012, as successor to Guy Parmelin. Schwyz has never had a member of the Federal Council. On Friday Parmelin announced his resignation effective the end of 2026 and named Céline Amaudruz, Esther Friedli and Natalie Rickli as possible candidates. None has officially agreed so far. The search committee accepts candidacies until October 23; the Federal Assembly elects on December 9. The Tages-Anzeiger notes that Toni Brunner sits on the search committee while his partner Friedli is seen as the favorite.
The election determines the composition of the federal government and possibly the distribution of the departments. Parmelin heads the Economic Affairs Department, which is central to trade questions with the USA, the EU and India.
Whoever sits in the Economic Affairs Department shapes trade agreements, unemployment insurance and agricultural policy.
An experienced executive politician from a canton without a Federal Councillor brings government experience and regional balance.
The SVP has never had a female Federal Councillor; three women stand ready. A ticket without a woman would raise questions.
The first name is rarely the last. What matters is October 23, when the list is set, and whether the parliamentary group fields a two-person ticket. The other parties have the final vote.
Tages-Anzeiger · Der Bund · NZZ · nau.ch · 20 Minuten (Oct. 2–6) · SVP canton of Schwyz (press release, cited) · Rüegsegger’s own confirmation is still pending
The race for Parmelin’s seat begins. The Schwyz SVP puts forward cantonal councillor André Rüegsegger
Four days after the Federal President’s resignation, the SVP has its first name. Parmelin himself had floated three women. The election is on December 9.
The SVP of the canton of Schwyz wants to put forward cantonal councillor André Rüegsegger as successor to Federal Councillor Guy Parmelin. The cantonal party announced this on Tuesday; Tages-Anzeiger, Der Bund, NZZ and nau.ch report in agreement. Rüegsegger has sat in the Schwyz government since 2012. Until now he had not been seen as a favorite. The party justifies the choice by saying he has the stature for the federal government and is of the “ideal age.” Geography is another argument: the canton of Schwyz has never had a member of the Federal Council. Whether Rüegsegger will run, he still has to confirm himself after talks with the party; according to reports, he did not want to comment before those talks. On Friday, at a hastily convened press conference, Parmelin announced his resignation effective the end of 2026. The native of Vaud has been on the Federal Council since 2016 and is Federal President this year. This week he is on a state visit to India.
Parmelin himself has opened up the field. He named National Councillor and party vice-president Céline Amaudruz, Councillor of States Esther Friedli and Zurich’s health director Natalie Rickli as possible candidates. He told the Tages-Anzeiger that as soon as a woman is involved, prejudice appears. The SVP has never brought a woman onto the Federal Council. As of Tuesday evening, none of the three had officially confirmed a candidacy. The constellation has its pitfalls. The Tages-Anzeiger points out that Toni Brunner sits on the party’s search committee while his partner Esther Friedli is seen as the favorite. The NZZ writes that if the cantonal councillor wants to go to the Federal Council, that becomes a risk for the SVP. The timetable is set: the search committee accepts candidacies until October 23. The parliamentary group then decides on its ticket. The United Federal Assembly elects on December 9. Until then the other parties will examine the candidates, as with every vacancy. In the end, whoever finds a majority in parliament is elected, not whoever the party prefers. The succession also raises the question of which department becomes free. Parmelin heads the Economic Affairs Department. After an election the Federal Council redistributes the departments, and incumbents can switch. That the SVP keeps the seat is taken for granted: under the magic formula, the three largest parties hold two seats each and the fourth-largest one, and the SVP is the strongest party in parliament. Only who remains open. History counsels caution. The Federal Assembly is not bound to a parliamentary group’s ticket and has several times elected people their party had not put forward. That is why parliamentary groups look for candidates who can also win votes from the political competition. For the SVP this means: someone popular with its own base does not automatically find a majority in parliament. The next two weeks will show whether more names come forward and whether one of the three women named will run.